Christian Association of Nigeria, (CAN) has urged the House of Representatives Special Committee to legislate the minimum age for marriage in the country by putting it at 18 years in order to protect under-aged citizens from early marriage and abuse.
The President of the association, Olasupo Ayokunle revealed this in Akure, Ondo State at the ongoing public hearing organized by the House of Representatives Special Committee On the Review Of The Constitution.
Ondo State CAN Chairman, John Oladapo, while presenting the position of CAN at the public hearing on behalf of Ayokunle, noted that the girl-child has been exposed to series of indecent tradition in some parts of the country. They solicited for the rights of females, to contest or seek appointment to be based on equal opportunities that secure their active participation in politics.
“It should be made a law that anybody below the age of 18 years is not matured enough for marriage across the nation. That’s the submission.
“We recommend that the constitution shall bring clarity and emphasis to recognising and affirming eighteen years as the age of maturity and that for sexual consent.
“Guarantee for the rights of women and girls, females, to contest or seek appointment based on equal opportunities that secure their active participation in politics.”
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, advocated a return to 1963 Constitution while his counterpart in Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, called for a new constitution and not an amendment of the 1999 document.
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